The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, has the distinction of being hands-down the coolest place to stay in all of Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas. One-of-a-kind architecturally, and the only hotel in town with a bird’s eye view of the iconic El Arco rock formation, the elite five-star retreat is also known for world class food and drink. And that’s especially true now that acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Enrique Olvera has taken over its 007-worthy bar.
Olvera, famed for his two-Michelin-star restaurant Pujol in Mexico City, has elevated the chic space, dubbed Sunken Bar, from an attractive spot for a drink before dinner into a Michelin-worthy cocktail and culinary experience in its own right. One of North America’s most notable chefs, Olvera has been associated with The Cape since it first opened nearly a decade ago, helming Manta, its impeccable “Dark Nostalgia”-style contemporary Mexican restaurant.
The social heartbeat of The Cape’s soaring open-air, elevated main floor, with its striking architecture by Mexico City–based Javier Sanchez—blending a “hand-crafted local look with a bit of a SoCal modernist vibe,” according to the Michelin Guide—the redesigned Sunken Bar is the centerpiece of various gathering places and dramatic viewpoints which add to the James Bond-movie feel.
The lofty space features high ceilings crafted from indigenous materials that pay homage to the Baja landscape, offering panoramic views of the horizon where the blue waters meet the sky. As daylight progresses to dusk, the bar transforms with shadows lengthening across textured surfaces, the setting sun igniting the silhouette of El Arco in a palette of amber and gold.
The cocktail program, orchestrated under Olvera’s discerning eye, follows his culinary ethos and tells a similar story of place. Classic beach drinks like the Mezcalita and Classic Margarita get little tweaks, while more sophisticated creations like the Bianco Spritz, a blend of white vermouth, damiana herb, prosecco, and soda, “speak to a more contemplative palate.” The Old Fashioned reimagined with Mexican spirit, angostura, chocolate bitters, and piloncillo sugar is like nothing by that name you’ve ever had before.
Morning light reveals yet another facet to Sunken Bar. From 6:30 am to noon, the space becomes a refined breakfast sanctuary where the ritual of coffee becomes elevated artistry. Specialty brews and restorative smoothies accompany a thoughtfully curated morning menu, with Michelin-worthy signatures. Diners can indulge in regional classics like chilaquiles or enfrijoladas, or opt for lighter fare such as the chia pudding infused with local honey and tropical fruits, all while gazing upon the majestic Arco framed perfectly through the architectural apertures designed specifically for this purpose.
As afternoon unfolds, Sunken Bar switches to a midday menu serving as a vibrant expression of coastal bounty. Guests can sample exquisite interpretations of regional specialties such as tuna tiradito dressed with citrus harvested from nearby orchards, Peruvian ceviche, and shrimp aguachile that delivers a complex interplay of heat and freshness. A Korean-inspired chicken dish provides a note from farther afield, while tempura fish tacos and herb-infused guacamole offer takes on much-loved classics from Olvera’s repertoire at Manta.
Olvera’s involvement with Sunken Bar represents a “natural extension of his culinary philosophy. ” His two-Michelin-star flagship restaurant Pujol stands as a sanctuary of gastronomic innovation in Mexico City’s sophisticated Polanco district. His signature mole madre, aged for hundreds of days, showcases his “commitment to honoring ancestral techniques while embracing evolutionary approaches.” It’s all a delectable balance between “reverence for tradition and forward-thinking innovation” and a hallmark of Olvera’s contribution to global gastronomy.
Beyond Mexico City, Olvera has established culinary outposts across North America, Cosme and Atla in New York City, and Damian in Los Angeles, with each venue “communicating the profound depth and sophisticated nuance of Mexican culinary heritage.” His cookbooks, most notably the acclaimed Mexico from the Inside Out, and his appearance on Netflix’s Chef’s Table has bring international acclaim to Olvera’s approach to elevated Mexican cuisine.
As Michelin recently unveiled its inaugural Mexico dining guide, Manta stands poised for further recognition in subsequent editions. While only one Cabo restaurant received an actual star in the guide’s first iteration, culinary cognoscenti anticipate that Manta’s compelling cuisine backed by Olvera’s passion and endless innovation will earn it similar distinction when Michelin’s regional evaluations resume.
Beyond Sunken Bar and Manta, The Cape offers additional options for refined hospitality. At The Ledge restaurant, contemporary American cuisine meets Mexican coastal influences in a setting that is literally cantilevered over the ocean. The property’s Currents spa sanctuary meanwhile integrates indigenous healing techniques with contemporary wellness approaches, “creating restorative journeys that honor both body and spirit while incorporating native botanicals and ancient therapeutic traditions.”
Perhaps most emblematic of The Cape’s distinctive character is its infinity pool, which creates an optical illusion of merging seamlessly with the Sea of Cortez just beyond; and the adjacent rockbound salt water pool, another architectural marvel. The swim-up bar re-envisions the resort cliché by turning it into the hippest spot for half-submerged cocktailing in all of Baja. And then there’s the Instagram-worthy rooftop bar to boot, where epic sunsets become the backdrop to equally memorable evenings.
The Cape’s Luxury Suites are carefully-considered sanctuaries where modernist vision meets the raw beauty of Baja, accented with wood, leather, and custom tile and fabrics. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame El Arco and the limitless Pacific, while handcrafted furnishings blend Mexican artisanal tradition with mid-century elegance, harking back to the genesis of the Thompson brand. The spaces “transcend conventional luxury, offering private terraces where the boundary between curated comfort and untamed landscape dissolves.”
The property’s Villa collection meanwhile delivers privileged seclusion, with private plunge pools and outdoor kitchens. Interiors fitted with locally quarried stone, reclaimed wood, and handwoven textiles “create environments that honor the region’s cultural vernacular.” The signature Two-Bedroom Villa offers 2,700 square feet living space across two levels, while the Three-Bedroom Villa runs an impressive 3,100 square feet, for the true feeling of a private vacation home.
In a destination increasingly defined by mass-market luxury, The Cape, now part of the World of Hyatt portfolio, with Olvera’s Sunken Bar as its latest innovation, offers something altogether more compelling and profound—an authentic, aesthetic sense of place expressed through meticulous attention to sensory detail and a genuine commitment to honoring the soul of Baja California Sur through the finest food and drink and incomparable design.
